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Bennison's is literally a 5 minute walk from where I work, so I had to learn to ignore the bakery smells at peak "I deserve something really great because I just finished work" moments. It's been tough, but most of the time my exhaustion somehow beat out my sweet tooth.

I visited: Bennison’s Bakery, an award-winning bakery that offers everything from doughnuts with a strip of bacon on top to painstakingly delicate petit fours and everything in between.

I really like the old-school appeal of the vertical sign and corner entrance. It looks so inviting in the evening all lit up when you see it from the train.

I tried: A miniature (maybe 5-6 inch?) chocolate cream pie edged in whipped topping and chocolate sprinkles. This size isn’t a regular menu item, but was made specially for Pi Day on March 14. The bakery normally carries this pie in its full-size form (my guess is about 9-inches).

Why it stood out: Well, because it was Pi Day and it seemed silly to go without. Bennison’s was one of a handful of bakeries throughout Chicago that offered special Pi Day deals, so I popped in on my way home. I’ve had Bennison’s cookies and a few doughnuts before, but this pie really stood out. They were also offering cherry, banana creme and a few other flavors for Pi Day, but I nabbed a fresh chocolate creme because I knew it was a flavor both Bill and I would enjoy. We loved it – it was rich without being overbearing. The crust was perfect and the chocolate creme itself was set somewhere between an expensive, decadent dessert and your mom’s chocolate pudding pie.

It cost: $3.14 – because it was Pi Day! (Plus tax.) But as I said before, this is not a size they normally carry.